citizen reporter

The £10.8million refurbishment of the Council Offices received yet another blow last week.

Residents and opposition councillors have slammed plans to close the register office at Bracknell House in Fenny Stratford and move to a new facility at the Civic Offices.

The plans are part of the wider £10.8million refurbishment of the Civic Offices in CMK which has gone over budget by more than £5million and has been independently criticised for poor project management and governance.

Residents are calling on the council to reverse their decision to move the register office and keep Bracknell House open. An online petition has reached more than 3,000 people.

Conservative spokesperson for Bletchley East Angela Kennedy has backed residents' calls. She said: "There has been huge upset locally. Bracknell House has offered so many people the perfect backdrop for a wedding.

"Residents, not just in Fenny Stratford and Bletchley but across MK, have been loud and clear they do not want this to happen.

"I'm not convinced the Civic Offices offer the kind of venue people want to get married in. One of the most special days of someone's life deserves something special. Bracknell House offers that."

Conservative leader Cllr Alex Walker added: "I'm running out of things to say on the Council Refurb. It's becoming a joke, but sadly a costly joke for us taxpayers."